We all have been there – some days we are truly motivated and ready to conquer whatever it is that lies ahead of us, whereas others we feel stressed, down, and demotivated. While it is okay to feel both the ups and downs as they’re all part and parcel of life, we do realize that those negativity if not managed well may lead to undesirable consequences. Hence it is crucial that we are able to minimize this demotivation (eliminating it would be living in Utopia), and unleash the power needed to help us carry on with our daily lives. Here are the 5 steps that you can take from the moment you wake up to start and finish your day feeling motivated.
1. Do not check on your phone notifications when you wake up
This is the very first step which many of us fail. What do we do the moment we open our eyes? We check on our phone notifications – emails, whatsapp, social media etc. I am not saying do not ever check on your phone when u wake up, rather, let your phone be for 5-15 mins. Think about this, you didn’t respond to all those notifications while you were fast asleep right? So what difference does it make if you just let it be for another 5-15 mins?
So what is this 5-15 mins for? Focus on YOU. Do what you want to do during this period of time – pray, meditate, exercise, take shower, make yourself coffee or tea, or anything. You can even extend this time frame to 30mins, an hour, 2 hours etc, depending on your own schedule. Just don’t let those incoming notifications dictate the starting of your day.
2. Plan your activities ahead
Whether it is work-related or personal things it is always great to plan your activities ahead. This will help you have a clear mind on:
- what are the activities or goals that you need to achieve for the day
- the sequence of activities (which activities that are to be done first, second, third and so on). You may explore the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to help you differentiate between urgency and importance
- the resources you need to carry out those activities or achieve those goals (time, skills, knowledge, money, people, etc)
Always remember the good old quote by Benjamin Franklin:
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”
Benjamin Franklin
3. Adjust
We got to admit, it is a no surprise that sometimes life throws at you lemons which you can’t make lemonade out of! This is where adjusting your plans is important. Do not be rigid. If any of the tasks of the day failed, or you weren’t even able to start doing them, then adjust! Be flexible about it. Take control of your ship. You can’t control the wave that is hitting, but you surely have the power to steer through it.
4. When tension comes along, take a step back
You know that strong urge in you burning like coal to just shout at that annoying person or drop your unsolicited negative remarks? Just don’t! Many a time issues just got worse due to our uncontrolled emotions and hurtful words. So take a step back and evaluate. Walk away for a while if your anger is raging. You will thank yourself later for doing this.
5. Celebrate your small wins
Only 1 out of 10 tasks of the day was completed? Well done! Celebrate your small wins as these wins are the success that will bring you closer to your goals. When all is said and done, remember that tomorrow will always be a new day of hope and opportunities. So end your day with a grateful heart for all the blessings that you have in life, and be excited to see what tomorrow holds. Well who knows tomorrow might just be the day that all your efforts come to fruition.
About the author:
Feroz Hayat Khan is a Life Coach and Director of Blankskript Consultants. You can follow him on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @ferozhayatkhan